White Eyebrow Kung Fu
AKA: Bak Mei Kung Fu, 白眉
Bak Mei’s inception originates with the holder of the name, previously known as Chu Long Tuyen (his name, Bak Mei, is really a nickname, "White Eyebrows," referring to the fact that his hair had turned white due to the strain of the public conscience that weighed upon him). In widely condemned move, Bak Mei (Chu Long Tuyen) challenged the power of deceased Hong Mei and his top student/heir to the leadership of the temple Chi Tien Su. Bak Mei claimed that the leadership no longer represented the population of Shao Yan by becoming lap dogs of the Xanthiotian Templars. While it is confirmed that the Shaolin, who openly were dedicated to the beliefs of Palanos, were, indeed, firm allies with Xanthios and the Templar, there has been no definitive proof that they were acting on their edicts and supporting policies that increasingly made the Xanthiotians rich at the sacrifice of the Shao Yan.
Seeing himself as the hand of balance and calling for the end of the corrupt rule of the ‘Shao Tyranny’ (Bak Mei’s words), Bak Mei began teaching the words of Tsu-Tao and encouraged all to rise up against their dictator. Bak Mei became wildly successful and liberated much of the population from the greedy tyrant Chi Tien Su and his conspirators, the Shaolin Monks. Regrettably, the conflict was bloody and intense as Bak Mei struggled for a true state. Ultimately, Bak Mei and his followers fought the Shaolin in many bloody conflicts. Bak Mei sought the way of temperance and enlightenment, but was beset by aggressive Shaolin Monks bent on his elimination. Finally, in the battle of the Temple of Tang Shao, Bak Mei challenged Chi Tien Su to individual combat. In the ensuing battle, Chi Tien Su drew up arms, dishonoring the combat. In an act of self-defense, Bak Mei slew the great leader, breaking his neck. Despite the dishonor, the propaganda machine Chi Tien Su had developed, enraged an already suffering populace. The Great Five Temples responded, and crushed the Bak Mei rebellion. Bak Mei and a handful of followers dispersed into the countryside.
In today’s Alcirya, practitioners of Bak Mei still feel justified by the events of their Great Sifu. They train in small enclaves or in isolation, passing their skills from master to student. They make no encampment for long and forswear the corruption of an organized school. Bak Mei students willing accept the mantle of ‘traitor’ and ‘murderer’ understanding that the actions of Bak Mei were in defense of the people, even if the people themselves don’t understand Bak Mei’s intentions. Rather a murderer of despots and a traitor to tyranny than a slave to a system.
Therefore, the school of Bak Mei is a living contradiction. Bak Mei is an art titled after a man who attempted to destroy a school (the Shaolin) to save it. In fighting style, Bak Mei is also contradictory. Defenses are supposed to be soft and flexible, while attacks are taught as hard and destructive. So it is with Chi as well, since about half the Bak Mei moves call for Chi and the other half are purely physical. Bottom line, Bak Mei expects students to display cleverness (what they call "wit"). After all, since there are no rules in combat and since circumstances always change, it is only with quick wittedness that one can prevail.
Bak Mei is also characterized by its emphasis on powerful close range hand strikes. Within Bak Mei can be found four principles: Fou (Float), Chum (Sink), Tun (Swallow), and Tou (Spit). Unique to Bak Mei is its classification of the following 6 powers: biu (thrusting), chum (sinking), tan (springing), fa (neutralizing), tung, and chuk. Bak Mei emphasizes the movements of the tiger.
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